Cost of Living Comparison Between Cerro de Pasco and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Cerro de Pasco and Chiang Mai

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $560 per month in Cerro de Pasco vs $950 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $907 per month in Cerro de Pasco vs $1,430 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,254 per month in Cerro de Pasco vs $1,909 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Cerro de Pasco is about 41% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Cerro de Pasco and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Cerro de Pasco 59% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.00 PEN 10.05

$2.10 ฿69.3

42.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.52 PEN 99.0

$19.84 ฿656

48.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.07 PEN 23.70

$5.79 ฿191

22.11%

Cappuccino

$2.13 PEN 7.15

$1.83 ฿60.4

16.39%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 PEN 2.56

$0.78 ฿25.61

-2.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 PEN 1.56

$0.31 ฿10.37

51.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.60 PEN 8.72

$2.34 ฿77.2

11.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.57 PEN 15.32

$3.70 ฿122

23.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 PEN 5.10

$2.03 ฿67.1

-25.12%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 PEN 7.81

$1.60 ฿52.7

45.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 PEN 4.50

$1.42 ฿46.75

-5.63%

Eggs

$2.47 PEN 8.28

$2.18 ฿71.9

13.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.17 PEN 30.74

$15.91 ฿526

-42.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.98 PEN 20.05

$3.07 ฿102

94.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.10 PEN 27.17

$9.87 ฿326

-17.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.07 PEN 6.95

$2.63 ฿86.8

-21.29%

Banana (1kg)

$0.77 PEN 2.58

$1.10 ฿36.19

-30.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.43 PEN 1.46

$1.63 ฿53.8

-73.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.22 PEN 4.11

$1.53 ฿50.6

-20.26%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 PEN 2.40

$1.24 ฿41.13

-41.94%

Onion (1kg)

$0.51 PEN 1.71

$1.13 ฿37.37

-54.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.86 PEN 2.89

$0.74 ฿24.38

16.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 PEN 3.03

$0.50 ฿16.48

80.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.87 PEN 19.69

$4.28 ฿141

37.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.65 PEN 25.63

$17.97 ฿594

-57.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 PEN 6.73

$1.70 ฿56.1

18.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 PEN 8.84

$2.90 ฿95.7

-8.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.13

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.12 PEN 13.80

$1.23 ฿40.76

234.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 PEN 7.14

$0.53 ฿17.66

301.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.21 PEN 24.17

$2.40 ฿79.3

200.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.67 PEN 5.60

$1.44 ฿47.55

15.97%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$22.4K PEN 75.0K

$21.2K ฿700.2K

5.62%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.5K PEN 89.0K

$27.3K ฿902.1K

-2.79%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$69.8 PEN 234

$64.9 ฿2,145

7.56%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$16.83 PEN 56.4

$13.35 ฿441

26.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.87 PEN 93.4

$20.83 ฿688

33.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,336

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$7.48 PEN 25.08

$6.71 ฿222

11.48%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$185 PEN 622

$787 ฿26.0K

-76.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.1K PEN 44.0K

$15.1K ฿499.6K

-13.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 PEN 185

$56.2 ฿1,858

-2.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.26 PEN 118

$24.95 ฿824

41.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.2 PEN 292

$92.7 ฿3,063

-5.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.8 PEN 271

$75.1 ฿2,482

7.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,491

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$421 PEN 1,412

$910 ฿30.1K

-53.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿47.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$476 PEN 1,597

$605 ฿20.0K

-21.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.94

5.57

60.50%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Cerro de Pasco: September 5, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 27% higher in Chiang Mai, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $30.00 in Cerro de Pasco versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $206 in Cerro de Pasco vs $242 in Chiang Mai – so Cerro de Pasco wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Cerro de Pasco vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Chiang Mai is pricier by about 70%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $839 per month in Cerro de Pasco and $1,426 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $30.00 in Cerro de Pasco and $20.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 17% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Cerro de Pasco, where all-in costs run around $560, than in Chiang Mai at $950. In Cerro de Pasco it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Cerro de Pasco – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Cerro de Pasco. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.